Electrolux snagging clothing?

podge8June 20, 2010

After all of my raving over our new Electrolux machines, I think they may not be perfect after all! :) I have noticed that all of my workout clothing has gotten snags in it, which definitely weren't there before when we had the Neptunes. They are the items I wash most often. It is the polyester knit type fabric, but I haven't noticed it on any cotton knits or other fabrics. Maybe I haven't checked thoroughly enough? I've checked the drums of both the washer and dryer, and there is nothing to get snagged on (very smooth!) so my only guess is that on the washer's spin cycle, the fabric is getting pulled through the holes and on the other side of the drum, the holes aren't smooth and they snag on the metal. I'd hate to go through getting a repair guy here only to tell me there is nothing wrong with the machine, but getting snags on clothes is unacceptable. I am still in my 30 day return window, however. Maybe there is something to that Miele honeycomb wash drum!

Don't panic yet, there can be any number of things that could have caused this besides your wash drum. Do you have cats in the house? Could the clothing have gotten snagged on anything? It may just be a coincidence. Lots of posts elsewhere about mysterious holes developing in fabrics, people blaming the holes in the drum, but ends up being insects or snags not related to washer.

Make sure you close all buttons and zippers on pants/slacks before washing. You can also try washing these items separately and spin at a lower speed.

Nope, no cats! I did a load of workout clothes by themselves to test out the active wear cycle, so no zippers or anything else that could have caught and snagged. Kind of frustrating because you really can't pin it down to one thing, because like you said sshrivastava, it could have been anything! Just strange that it just started happening with the new washer and dryer!

Also, getting a bit of a mold/mildew issue as well. I have been good about wiping down everything and we have run quite a few hot water loads, and it's only been two weeks! I guess when you pay close to $4000 out the door for these puppies, you want them to work perfectly!

We had Maytag Neptune machines for nine years before this so we are definitely aware of doing everything we can to prevent mold and mildew! I have washed mostly warm and hot water loads, and because we didn't have a machine for two weeks, the new ones have been running practically every day to catch up! We use a minimum amount of Kirkland/Costco free and clear HE liquid detergent, never use fabric softener, and we have moderately to very hard water, depending on the season. As for the door, we never used to keep the door open on the Neptunes and never had mold issues. On our Electrolux, I have been religious about wiping all the moisture and have noticed some white and brown mold or mildew spots on the rubber gasket. No smell, though. So there's very little, but I was just surprised to see it so soon and after running quite a few hot loads and running it often. As for keeping the door open, we cannot really do so because the push to open doors on the Electrolux set mean you have to keep it open all the way, which is very inconvenient for us because it would be blocking the door of our small laundry room, and we go through it every day to get to the garage and back. So you cannot leave it ajar, which would be a flaw in the design, in my opinion. Perhaps we should just live with having the washing machine door block the doorway? I like the push to open door otherwise.

Our choices for machines were limited as we need to have the washer on the right, and we LOVE the set except for these few complaints, and I know there is no perfect machine for anyone. But I can't seem to shake the feeling that we should have gotten the Miele 4842/9802 set? I know they have their problems as well sometimes, and we'd be giving up some things from the Electrolux and paying more money on top of that, but you'd get a better built machine. Our BMW service advisor has a Miele set and actually talked us out of it! Our other option was the Asko XXL set, but I haven't found anyone nearby who sells them to see them in the East Bay Area. We do have two more weeks to decide on what to do with these machines, but will be spending one of those weeks on vacation in Kauai. So hopefully I won't be thinking of them while on the beach! It's hard after spending so much money, but I think I just need to lower my expectations...?!?

The Electrolux machines are well rated, I wouldn't jump ship yet. Hard water seems to be a common factor for a lot of people with mold issues. If you are using a detergent with washing soda (sodium carbonate), the washing soda acts as a chemical softener and precipitates calcium out of solution. Unfortunately, this precipitate can then settle on washer parts and cause failures or even mold/mildew problems.

You might want to try Calgon or buy some STPP which soften the water without precipitating. STPP also prevents redeposition, which could help with your mold problems. Google a product called ODOBAN. It can be used to get rid of mold in your machine.

sshrivastava, thanks so much for all of the helpful information! I will try STPP as we have hard water. It doesn't seem like our liquid detergent has sodium carbonate in it, but a lot of powders do, even the much beloved Persil. I was thinking of trying Persil, with STPP, but should I avoid sodium carbonate altogether or would it be ok with STPP added?

Just a thought Podge, but you may be spinning your clothes too fast. On your Neptune the spinning speed was set by the clothes option. This machine also didn't spin as fast as your new Electrolux. (At least on my old Neptune you didn't get a speed option.) On my Samsung you can override the speed in which the clothes can be spin, at least somewhat within your chosen cycle. I would assume on the Electrolux you get this same option. Maybe you need to use a gentle cycle with a low spin speed. The combination of the larger drum and extra speed may be the reason for the holes. The combination may be literally sucking the material through the holes.

I have the washer/dryer issue in my laundry room, basically they're set up backwards. I just installed mine correctly and bought longer hoses. Since my dryer basically vents a few feet, adding the additional distance of the washer wasn't a problem. I did use a periscope vent in order to get both units to recess as much as possible. It actually works better and wish I had thought to do that with my old set.

Thanks for the thoughts, housefairy! We did think about using longer hoses and such to switch the washer and dryer placement, but as they are now, we have then pushed back almost to the wall and they still block the light switch somewhat. Our laundry room is SMALL! So if we needed more room for hoses and such, it would have blocked the light switch altogether! We definitely did try to make that work!

As for the spin, it did cross my mind, but my thoughts are that if we paid to get the higher spin on the Electrolux, we should be able to use it. It does allow you to choose the spin speed. The activewear cycle I washed the workout clothes in (the cycle designed for exactly what I used it for, so it should work, right?) defaults so that the spin is on medium or high, I think, not the highest (1350 rpm). Our Neptune had an option for maximum spin (1000 rpm) or just regular, so it definitely is faster so I see your point about it maybe tearing the clothes. I'm curious what the large drum could do with it as well...do you think it's too big? It is huge, which is another reason why we love these machines! 4.8 cu. ft. vs. 3.3 cu. ft. on our Neptune.

But the high spin is one of the reasons we decided on the Wave Touch set and not to be able to use that would negate one of the reasons we decided on this set in the first place! Makes me covet the Miele honeycomb drum...and the W4842 spins even faster! And it's interesting that it's only happening to polyester knits. Kind of frustrating...but I now understand that there is no such thing as a perfect machine. But for what some of these puppies cost, they should be! :)

Granted you purchased the machines for the high spin, but...
you don't wash all your clothes in hot water just because you have that option, so you shouldn't necessarily spin all your clothes at top speed.

And maybe an engineer would know, but does the bigger tub put more force on the items inside?

As far as sticking out past your outlets you did purchase the biggest machines on the market. They have to build them either up or out. They are restricted by width for the simple fact that they have to be able to get them through the doors. I looked at the Electrolux and they are pretty machines, but they are BIG. So a smaller machine might fit in the area even if you have to pull them out to switch placement. Or maybe the Miele would work better since it's smaller and is set up with the doors like you want.

Take them back and get a Miele, as it seems that you are wanting someone to tell you that. I have the Wave Touch and i have them stacked. I have the dryer door reversed, but would reverse that washer if i needed to. I also had high expectations for a washer and dryer, and after trying others i am happy with this one. I leave the door open after using for most of the day. You might leave yours open while you are home when you don't have to go in and out there. These are big, but i have pets and will be having my daughter's family more often now, so will be able to do laundry in 2 loads. All of them are going to have plus and minuses. Some are built like tanks, but are loud, some whine, some vibrate more. I want one to wash my clothes and get them clean. I don't want to have to turn the tv up because it is loud, so that is my thing. All of us would like them to last forever, but in today's time that's hard. You may need to try another brand so that you wont have the wish i would haves.

housefairy, you are absolutely right about the spin options. I just tend to overanalyze everything, it's just my nature. :) I still find it odd, though that my synthetic things are snagging on lower spin than what I thought would be more delicate cotton knits on the highest spin. I did measure everything carefully when picking machines and seriously considered an LG set that was significantly cheaper with similar features, but they are just an inch less deep than the Electrolux and would not have fit very well had we needed room for extra hose and duct length.

rosesark, I followed your saga of the Samsungs and then the IQ touch and then your teal wave touch set through this forum. (We would have loved to get the Mediterranean Blue but couldn't justify the extra money! So plain white it is!) I'm so glad you ended up with a set you love! Again, being the overanalyzer I am, I always tend to think about what might have been. You mentioned in a post about wishing the Electrolux and Miele units would merge to create the perfect set with the best features of each (or was that larsi?). Now I totally understand that! The quiet and balance of the Electrolux with wave touch controls (LOVE them!) combined with the honeycomb drum and build quality of the Miele. Alas, the perfect machine doesn't exist, as you have consistently said.

I have learned more than I ever wanted about laundry on this forum so thanks again to everyone! (Probably more than I SHOULD know, overanalyzing everything! If I could just get my brain to stop thinking sometimes! :) )

The larger the drum diameter, the higher the G-forces at the same RPM. I'm sure if you google the issue you can find an equation. That's more than I'm willing to do right now! :)

I wash my gym clothes in my Miele W4842 at high spin (not max spin) which I think is in the 1200-1300 RPM range. No snags. However, some of my really old and thin kitchen towels are starting to get pulled apart.

I had the SAME issue the 2-3 weeks I had my Electrolux Wave Touch set. I am convinced it is the paddles in the wash machine. If you feel some of the water exit holes that are directly on the paddles, and few of the bigger holes, actually have a rough/sharp edge. I think this is what caused mine, and is causing your problems! Miele has 100% smooth paddles, and as far as I know, the only machine with stainless paddles (wash fins). Everyone else uses plastic!

Also, the Miele, Samsung and some LGs have smooth wash drums (Honeycomb, Diamond....). The Electrolux still uses the large, punched holes drum. This is also hard on clothing.

NO machine is perfect, but after trying Electrolux and Samsung (and having a Frigidaire for many years)....I would not part with my Miele W4842 and T9802 for anything. I LOVE them!!! Love them!!!

Lars, you didn't mention this before! You mean I could have avoided this headache? :) Well, it seems as though it is my initiation into this forum to have to go through having a defective set and have to have them replaced (several times as was the case with you and rosesark!).

Well, I don't know if it is the plastic paddles or not, but clothes are definitely snagging on something in the washer. I have done many experiments with cycles, spin speeds, etc. and do not put anything in that could snag them like zippers, and the clothes keep coming out from the washer with more snags. At first it was only polyester knits, but now I have a Lacoste cotton knit polo with a nasty snag on it! ARGH!

So I have a few options, repair, replace, or return for a different set. Still undecided as which way to go, because now that Pacific Sales says they will match the Sears price, I should be getting $1000 back, and with that, I can live with a less than perfect machine once the snagging is fixed. I will keep you all updated, and thanks again everyone for the helpful hints and advice!

Snags almost always can be attributed to external factors. The many threads generated on this topic previously have all ended up being completely unrelated to the laundering process. Take some pantyhose material and run it tightly against all parts of the wash drum interior. You will quickly know if something is causing snags.

I have read all of the other posts about what could be snagging clothing, as I consider myself a very thorough person and I wanted to be certain. I have ruled everything else out, and it definitely is the washer or dryer. I did buy some pantyhose as you suggested (great idea, and in a house without women, not something we just have around!) and the washer's plastic paddles (especially the large blue holes) were snagging somewhat. Also, there is some space between the paddles and the drum, which clothes might be able to get caught in, and the pantyhose snagged again. But the real culprit was the metal nut and spigot for the steam in the dryer! That snagged the most! So service should be coming out next week and we'll see what they say. I knew I wasn't crazy! :) I did end up getting the price match and a $1000 back on my credit card, so that makes dealing with this a little less painful!

If I had a washer that snagged clothing, you'd need to pay me to use it. If the service call doesn't resolve this for you, given the number of snag points you've identified I would get a washer & dryer set that has undergone a bit more testing.

No snags yet, but IÂm keeping an eye out. However, I can not handle the high pitched whine the dryer is making. Even my DH who never complains and doesnÂt believe in taking anything back once it is purchased (serious!), canÂt live with this sound.

I really really really hope we can find a resolution to this problem. I really like these machines otherwise.

Jeri,
Both my machines are perfectly balanced. My dryer still has that whine. I think it is because of the huge capacity and moving around all that air, which is certain to cause more sound than smaller machines. While it can get a little annoying, we decided that having a dryer that is that big and therefore wrinkles much less than our previous one (therefore less ironing!) was worth overlooking the sound. We just keep the laundry room door closed and we really don't notice it much at all.

My dryer is pretty quiet and, in week three, have not noticed any clothes snagged or pilled. I was concerned because the delivery guys did not use any leveling tools, but everything is working well. (Knock on wood!)

I realized I never really updated everyone on my snagging issue. Well, I got the repair guys in last month, and they couldn't find anything wrong with the machines. I told them that I had filed down the spigot for the water for the steam in the dryer, and then they told me that I should come work for them! They were impressed with what I knew about the machines (thanks to this forum!). So it looks like I fixed the problem, and I haven't noticed any further snagging. So it looks like it was the water spigot thing in the dryer after all. I am now back to loving the machines and have also switched to Persil with some STPP, and my laundry has never been cleaner, softer, etc.